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Overview
Hine Takurua is a kete whakairo woven by Anahera Alixine Curtis and was started March 2020 during the first COVID-19 lockdown and finished mid 2021. It is woven from natural and dyed harakeke, pīngao, and whitau (muka). It is woven using 3mm whenu.
Hine Takurua was inspired by the environment surrounding the weaver. The three main factors that influenced the design of this kete were Hine Takurua, the atua associated with the winter months for which the kete takes its name also forms inspiration of the colour pallet used with an emphasis on sunset and twilight. The reflection of the night sky in the winter and Matariki forms the basis inspiration for the pattern work of this kete which features a multitude of whetu or star patterns in a variety of shapes and forms. The final influencing factor was Anahera’s kuia, who was also a weaver who had many kete around her home.
"Hine Takurua is a reflection of the cool winter months and the darker skies. This kete is functional and useable. Winter was the time for wānanga with our people. The flowers and the stars represent the reflections of the skies, the thoughts of people, and the potential to come. The season also hails Matariki and the potential of the New Year.
Anahera Alixine Curtis, Jan 2022
Hine Takurua is constructed with teaching in mind, like the season of Matariki which is also a time of wānanga associated with this atua. This kete and its visual lessons primarily focus on the use of pattern work and the triple hiki or join. This is a hard join on the internal side of the weaving which allows for a solid drop and change of colour in the weft threads introducing more colour and decorative elements than would usually be possible or seen in Māori weaving today. The cast off braid of this kete whakairo also features a solid three ply whiri that Anahera states took more than 30 hours to complete. While this braid contains decorative elements in this kete, finishes like this were utilised in the past in order to give strength to kete, like the kete kumara of old which featured no less than six handles.
"One of the things I remember about my kuia’s whare were the kete kumara. They were everywhere, and they were all different ranging from simple to complicated. They were always big as they were needed for storage. Winter was the time for kumara storage so it was only right that this kete be a kete kumara. The thick braid around the top reflects this, but because this is also about sharing and teaching it includes a lot of shapes, ideas, and ways to braid for function and decoration. It’s a lot, but it’s all there."
Anahera Alixine Curtis, Jan 2022
Kete
When looking at traditional Māori raranga, there is no more well-known or more woven taonga than the kete, and it is impossible to accurately tell the story of raranga without them. Kete have been a staple of Māori culture for possibly as long as there has been Māori. Historically the diverse kete has fulfilled a variety of practical and functional needs, ranging from carrying simple goods, to bags used for washing and cooking, to complex sieve and filtration systems, and into the ceremonial or spiritual such as the kete ipu whenua or the kete apapa used by tohunga.
In modern times the use of kete has decreased due to the availability of modern alternatives, however they have seen a resurgence with the recent ban of the plastic bag. Despite popularity trends, kete continue to be woven and used by Māori and non-Māori alike, and are a vital representation of past and ongoing material Māori culture. Due to the fineness of materials used, complexity of their weaving, range of colour, and the details of their patterns, many kete are works of art in their own right and are practical and iconic pieces used as representation of Māori and New Zealand identity.